Many people who suffer from skin disorders do not seek treatment because of embarrassment and can spend years "suffering in silence", according to a consultant dermatologist.
Dr Gillian Murphy, a member of the organising committee for the sixth Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology in Dublin, said a "huge amount" could be done but people were not aware of the options. More education was needed for sufferers and GPs.
"People are so embarrassed they do not wish to seek help. I have patients with psoriasis, whose skin literally falls off when they take their clothes off, and they feel so unclean and embarrassed they won't stay in a hotel or go to the hairdressers. Teenage girls with acne who are completely paralysed with their disorder and won't even go to school," she said.
With conditions such as acne, Dr Murphy said early treatment was important. "The tragedy is to see a face and back ravaged with scars when it could have been prevented." She said skin disorders were among the most common problems seen by GPs including minor rashes, skin infections, viral warts, eczema, acne and psoriasis, but in the past they had not been given due attention. "But if you study the impact of disease on a person, you will see that a person with ato pic eczema will be much more disturbed about it than someone with angina."
Dr Murphy was speaking at the conference in UCD which is being attended by more than 3,000 delegates. It was officially opened by the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, yesterday.
Prof Bill Cunliffe, professor of dermatology at Leeds University, said his studies had shown that people with acne were more like ly to be unemployed.
"Acne affects people physically and mentally. There is the notion that it is dirty and infectious. If two people present for interview with the same capabilities, the one without acne will get the job."
Fifty of his patients with acne had attempted suicide and seven had succeeded. "It is a terrible problem for some people but it is important to remember that there are very good treatments available."